


The Spider's Head

by Allthemfanfics



Series: Superfamily - MCU [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Black Widow - Freeform, Captain America - Freeform, Hawkeye - Freeform, Hurt Peter, Hurt/Comfort, Iron Man - Freeform, Loki Redemption (kinda), M/M, MCU kinda, Movie-verse AU kinda, Movie-verse basically, Other, Peter has a nightmare, Spider-Man - Freeform, the hulk - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-12-07 00:54:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 14,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11612568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Allthemfanfics/pseuds/Allthemfanfics
Summary: Peter Parker is Spider-Man, he faces dangers everyday that would be enough to give anyone nightmares. But, Peter doesn't have nightmares. He never has, and sometimes, his parents worry. Their son isn't having nightmares, shouldn't that be a good thing? For Tony, it means that Peter isn't facing the demons he needs to face. For Steve, it means his son is holding back feelings and bottling them up.But when Peter falls into a deep sleep and is unable to be woken up by anyone, the Avengers panic... and are forced to turn to a longtime foe for help.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ah, a new story. Honestly, this one has been festering in my mind for a while now and I'm pretty excited to write it. It will be my first multi-chapter story posted to this website, so I really hope you enjoy it!

It was Peter's favorite time of the day--patrol time. After school each day before heading home, he suited up and swung across the city in search of any trouble. Usually, he stopped a few muggings and the occasional armed robbery, but today was odd. Today was quiet. Not that Peter minded, it gave him more time to just... be a kid and enjoy himself. Believe it or not, swinging across the New York City skyline going from building to building was actually quite a rush for fifteen year old Peter Parker. 

Though, Peter knew his parents weren't exactly fans of his web slinging. But hey, they hadn't stopped him when he revealed his secret to them five months prior. In fact, they seemed proud of him. His dad had even been the one to design his suit for him. Peter loved his suit. It was equipped with just about everything, from more than five hundred web slinging combinations to having its own A.I. (which Peter had named Karen,) his suit was truly one of the bests. 

Of course, Spider-Man didn't doubt for a second that his father had also taken the time to add a tracking device somewhere on the suit. His parents were supportive, yes, but they were also paranoid. Peter sometimes found their overprotective nature to be the most annoying thing on the planet. Other times... it came in handy. Like the time Peter had been trapped by Dr. Curt Connors in the Oscorp building and then had been dragged to the sewers where the doctor planned to experiment on him. The tracker in Peter's suit had certainly come in handy then. 

But Peter was desperate to prove himself to his parents, and the rest of his family on the Avengers team. He wasn't just some kid who needed saving left and right; he was Spider-Man! He could take care of himself. 

Peter sat atop an apartment building and sighed, taking in the New York skyline. He would never get sick of this view. 

Suddenly, he heard a scream. Of course, there couldn't be one day where the criminals of New York decided to chill. Peter sighed and shot his web at a nearby building before swinging in the direction of the scream. Someone was in danger, and it was Spider-Man's job to save them. He found himself in a dimly lit alley (talk about cliche, why was it that his superhero life always resembled that of a comic book? Oh, wait...) where a man with a switch blade was trapping a woman, his blade raised.

"Just make things easy, sweet cheeks, and hand the purse over," The criminal said. "Wouldn't wanna mess up that pretty face of yours." 

Peter scowled. Guys like this disgusted him. Especially when they messed with people who couldn't defend themselves (not to say that the woman was incapable of doing so, she was clearly in shock and couldn't think straight, so she was perhaps not thinking about what she could do to defend herself at the moment). Peter took a step forward, ready to take the slime ball down. 

"Just make things easy, sweet cheeks," Peter mocked. "Put the knife down, I wouldn't want to mess up your face." 

The mugger spun on his heel, facing Peter. He wasn't wearing any kind of mask or hat that could conceal his face. So, even if he had managed to rob this woman, she would've been able to report and identify him to the police. Peter loved it when he dealt with inexperienced criminals. It made his job so much easier. 

"Maybe stay outta this, Bug-Brat." The man growled, holding his switch blade up at Peter. 

Peter shrunk back and held his hands up above his head. "Oh no! You've found my  _one weakness,_ sharp knives!" The teen exclaimed in a sarcastic tone. He looked at the mugger, who had his head tilted in confusion (so this was his first rodeo and he wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer; Peter's favorite kind of criminal) and proceeded to shoot a web at him. Peter ended up getting the mugger pinned to the wall in a matter of seconds. He grinned at his handy work and waved to the criminal. "Better luck next time, buddy! Of course, there probably won't be a 'next time,' but you get the idea!" 

Spider-Man turned to the woman, who stared at him in shock and confusion from the ground. "Are you okay?" Peter offered her his hand and, hesitantly, she took it. 

"Y-yes, thank you, um...?" 

"You can call me Spider-Man," He said.

She nodded. "Spider-Man. I'm Mara." She stuck her hand out and Peter took it. "Thank you for saving me, I was just so shocked that something even happened... I don't usually run into trouble on my way home from work." Mara admitted. 

"No problem, it's my pleasure!" Peter replied with a smile, though Mara couldn't see it due to his mask. "Er... you should probably call the police and have them pick up Mr. Knife Guy over here." He jabbed his thumb in the direction of the man pinned to the alley wall with his webs. "It'll dissolve in about an hour, so don't take to long!" He added, firing a web towards another building. "See ya around, Mara!" Peter called as he swung off into the night, though he knew he probably wouldn't actually be seeing that woman around. In fact, Peter doubted he would ever see her again. 

***

Back at the Avengers Tower, which was located in the heart of Manhattan, Tony was waiting patiently on the couch for his son to return. He wasn't actually late... yet. Peter had about five minutes before his official weekend curfew. But Tony always preferred for him to get back a little early, and Peter knew that. The scenarios that were running through Tony's head were worse case scenarios, but he couldn't help but worry! It was nearly one o'clock in the morning and Peter had yet to return. What if he'd been injured during his patrol and he was currently bleeding out in some random back alley of New York City? He would have called to let them know, right? The more Tony thought about it, the more anxious he got. 

Steve stumbled into the living room, his eyes still heavy from sleep and saw Tony on the couch. "He's not back yet?" Steve questioned. Tony shook his head in response, placing a hand on his forehead. Steve sighed and sat down next to his husband on the couch. The captain placed a comforting kiss on Tony's cheek. "He's not late yet, Tony. Don't start worrying until he's late, okay?"

Tony took a deep breath and leaned back into his husband's waiting arms. "I know you're right, but I can't help it," Tony admitted. "What if he's hurt or something?" 

"You can monitor his vitals, does it look like he's been hurt?" Steve asked. 

"Well... no."

"Then there's not any reason to worry yet," Steve told him. "Just relax."

Not two minutes later, a very worn out Peter Parker came stumbling into the room. "Peter!" Tony jumped up and rushed to his son's side. "What have I told you about curfew? You were almost late! You scared me half to death, dammit!"

Peter held his arms up in surrender and pulled his mask off. He tossed it onto the nearby couch. "Dad, chill!" He exclaimed. "I'm not late, I know you like it when I'm home a little early, but I had to help somebody out before I could." Peter explained. Tony calmed down a little bit. Steve got up and stood at his son's side, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"See, Tony? He's fine," Steve said. "No need to worry. Good job, Peter." The captain smiled. Peter returned the smile and then yawned. He rubbed his eyes. "Tired, champ?" Steve asked, Peter only nodded in response. "All right. Why don't you turn in for the night, then?" 

"Yeah, that sounds good," Peter replied sleepily. "Night, Pop. Night, Dad." He waved good night and then walked up the stairs. Steve noticed the slight stumble in his son's steps, but figured Peter was just too tired to be walking straight. 

Steve turned to Tony with a smile on his face. Tony had finally seemed to relax. "See?" Steve said. "Told you he was fine. Now c'mon, let's go to bed. You've got to be exhausted."

Tony laughed. "I don't get tired, Steve," He said. But even the great Tony Stark couldn't hide when he yawned. Steve grinned and Tony scowled at his husband. "Oh, shut up and carry me to bed already." Steve snickered and wrapped his arms around Tony, lifting him up off of the couch. "I'll never get tired of this," Tony said. He let his head rest against Steve's shoulder as he carried him up to their bedroom. Steve smiled and kissed the top of Tony's head.

"Yeah, neither will I."

When they reached their bedroom, Steve laid Tony down on his side of the bed and crawled in next to him. Tony snuggled up next to Steve and closed his eyes. Most people didn't take Tony Stark for the cuddling type, but Steve loved telling them how wrong they were. If he could, Tony would spend the entire day in bed just snuggling up against Steve. The tower was quiet and calm and, when Steve finally drifted off, he was blessed with a dreamless sleep, as was Tony. 

The same couldn't be said for Peter Parker. 


	2. Chapter 2

Peter didn't have nightmares... usually. Sometimes he would have dreams about his uncle, or even his aunt, but he hadn't had a nightmare about them in what felt like months. It probably was. It wasn't that he didn't get scared, no Peter Parker got scared every single day. How could he not? He was the son of two of the most famous people in the world, he was a superhero, and despite his social status, he was still picked on at school.

He didn't complain, though. Sometimes, though he would never ever tell his parents this, Peter enjoyed being picked on by Flash. It gave him a sense of... normalcy. It reminded him of his life before his aunt's accident, before his uncle was shot.

But if Tony or Steve ever found out about that, they would raise all hell, and Peter knew that. So he kept that bit of information to himself.

So no, Peter didn't have nightmares. Or, he didn't usually. But... ever since his encounter with Mara and that street thug, the nightmares had been getting more frequent. And as time wore on, more vivid.

One morning, about a week after his brawl with the street thug who had been threatening Mara, Peter trudged down the stairs in his pajamas. It was a Saturday morning and he was going to take advantage of that, considering he had barely gotten any sleep the previous night.

Peter had ended up dreaming about his uncle again. It was short lived, because Peter had jolted awake just as he watched the life drain from his uncle's eyes. But after waking up from it, Peter hadn't gone back to sleep.

"Morning, champ." Steve smiled at Peter. He was at the stove making his famous pancakes. Peter suspected that Clint would be along any moment now to take advantage of Steve's cooking. "Sleep okay?"

Peter shrugged tiredly and plopped down at the breakfast counter. He rested his chin on his hand and slumped forward. Steve raised an eyebrow. "I bet my pancakes'll wake you up."

"Yeah, maybe," Peter replied. Steve grabbed a plate and piled three pancakes coated with butter and maple syrup onto the plate. He set it in front of Peter with a smile. "Thanks, Pop." Peter picked up his fork and dug in.

"Sure thing." Steve ruffled Peter's hair despite the fifteen year old's protests. Soon, the other Avengers (Thor excluded; he was currently taking care of some business on Asgard) began to file into the room.

Clint immediately grabbed a plate and put four pancakes on it. He drenched them in syrup and licked his lips. Natasha rolled her eyes, simply going for a slice of toast. She took a bite of the toast as she sat down at the breakfast counter next to Clint.

Bruce came sauntering into the kitchen next. "Steve, you made pancakes," He stated. Steve nodded.

"You want some, Bruce?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, sure." He nodded, accepting the plate of steaming pancakes from the Captain. "Yours are always better than Tony's."

Steve chuckled lightly. "Thanks. Tony in the kitchen usually ends in a fire. Or an explosion. Usually both."

"Hey!" Tony exclaimed, walking into the kitchen. He was wearing the same clothes he had been last night. Steve sighed, he knew he hadn't heard his husband come in the previous night. "I am an excellent chef, and every person in this room would vouch for me." Everyone groaned.

"No, no we wouldn't," Natasha said.

"Your cooking's the worst." Clint added.

"Eh..." Bruce trailed off with a shrug.

Tony gave a gasp of mock horror and placed a hand over his chest. "How dare you all! I make the best fucking pancakes—"

"Language."

"—ever. If you jerks won't vouch for me, then Peter, my loving and amazing son, will. Right, Pete?" Tony asked. When Peter didn't answer, Tony glanced over at his teenage son and saw that he had fallen asleep with his head propped against his hand.

Steve raised an eyebrow and looked at Tony, who shrugged. "Peter?" Steve asked. "Peter, wake up, bud." He reached across the breakfast counter and gently shook Peter's arm.

"No... no...." Peter muttered in his sleep. "No, please..."

"Peter!" Tony shook Peter this time, a bit more roughly.

"May!" Peter's eyes flew open and he sat up, breathing heavily. All eyes were on him now, and Peter was a bit confused. He glanced around at the Avengers. "... What? Why is everybody looking at me?"

Bruce glanced from Steve to Peter. "Peter... were you having a bad dream?" He asked.

"What?" Peter asked, looking taken aback. "No? I'm fine." He shifted uncomfortably in his bar stool and glanced down at his unfinished pancakes. He pushed them away, suddenly having lost his appetite.

Tony could tell that his son was lying almost immediately. Peter didn't like that it was silent and that all eyes were still on him. So, before anyone could ask him, he stood up abruptly and muttered something about going to work on his suit upgrades in the lab and then excused himself.

Peter took the elevator down to the lab and sighed as he sat down. He ran a and through his brown curls and pulled up the holographic blueprints for his Spider-Man suit. His eyes were heavy with sleep. Peter hadn't gotten any sleep the previous night, Bruce had been right. Nightmares.

But he wouldn't admit it, especially not to his parents. Peter didn't need them worrying about him. There was nothing to be worried about, everybody had nightmares... except for him. Because Peter was fine.

His fathers, however, knew better. Sitting up in the kitchen, they discussed what they should do. "He's not opening up," Steve sighed. "He was having a nightmare, Tony. What should we do?"

Tony shrugged. "The kid doesn't want to talk about it, why should we make him?" He asked.

Steve sighed and looked at his husband, shaking his head. "We can't let him just keep his emotions bottled up like this, Tony," He said. "It's not healthy."

"Maybe he'll tell us in a little bit." Tony suggested. "He probably just needs a little bit of time to think it over, no big deal." Steve sighed.

"I guess."

Tony tilted his head and walked over to Steve, who was currently washing the dishes by hand. Tony always tried to tell Steve that they had a dishwasher for a reason, but Steve always insisted on hand washing them. He said it reminded him of the forties. A 'better time,' according to Steve.

_"... But you were in the middle of World War II. How was that a better time?" Tony would ask._

_Steve would only shrug in response. "I just like it, Tony."_

The billionaire wrapped his arms around the captain's waist and rested his chin on Steve's shoulder. "You worry too much, y'know that?" Tony whispered in his husband's ear.

Steve sighed and turned around to face Tony. "He's our kid, Tony, how can I not worry?" He replied. "And I think he's been having nightmares more frequently... a couple of nights ago I think I heard him mumbling in his sleep about his Aunt May, just like at breakfast." He shook his head.

Tony looked at Steve in shock. Suddenly, Peter's nightmare from this morning made him a bit more nervous for his son's wellbeing. "Really?" He asked. "Last week?"

The captain nodded. "Yeah." He said softly. "I'm worried about him, Tony."

"Yeah," Tony sighed. "So am I."

The two husbands just stood, holding each other in their arms for a moment. Tony wished he could make all of Steve's worries disappear. He hated seeing him this upset. But, luckily, Tony knew how to make Steve forget about his worries. For a little while, at least.

The others had since moved to new locations. Clint and Natasha were a few floors below in the training gym and Bruce had gone down to the lab a little while after Peter.

Tony leaned in and planted a soft kiss on Steve's lips. Steve couldn't help but chuckle lightly as Tony had to stand on his tip toes to reach his husband's lips. "I'm trying to make you feel better and you're over here laughing." Tony shook his head. "For shame, sir!"

"Aw, c'mon, Tony." Steve pulled him closer. "I'm sorry." He leaned down and kissed Tony again. Tony made a noise of pleasure and pulled Steve closer to him.

As the two began to move towards the living room and couch, they were interrupted. "Sirs, Dr. Banner has requested your presence in the lab immediately. He says it is an emergency."

Tony groaned. "Can't you tell him to wait a minute?" He asked. "We're kinda in the middle of something here!"

"What's the emergency, JARVIS?" Steve asked, earning a second groan from Tony.

"It appears that Master Parker has collapsed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh and the plot thickens!!!


	3. Chapter 3

Bruce hadn't been expecting it at all. Peter's collapse was such a surprise that, for a moment, the doctor just stood there in shock. The boy had collapsed to the floor and when Bruce realized what was going on, he rushed to his nephew's side. "Peter!" He pressed two fingers against his neck and sighed in relief. He had a pulse. "JARVIS, get Steve and Tony down here, now!" He ordered.

"Very good, Dr. Banner," The A.I. replied.

In no more than five minutes, both Steve and Tony had rushed from the elevator and into the lab. "Peter!" Tony dropped to the floor next to his son and Steve looked at Bruce.

"What happened here?" He asked him.

Bruce shook his head. "One moment, he was fine. The next, he was on the floor. I checked his pulse, it's there. But I have no idea why he collapsed."

Steve ran a hand through his hair and knelt down next to Tony and Peter. He brushed a hand through his son's curly brown hair. "Let's get him somewhere comfortable, okay?" Steve said to Tony. All his husband did was nod in response. He was too much in shock to say anything.

The captain scooped his unconscious son into his arms and carried him towards the elevator. All three Avengers got on and headed back up to the main floor. Steve laid Peter down on the sofa and made sure he was comfortable.

"What the heck is going on? JARVIS said there was an emergency?" Clint and Natasha entered the room a few minutes later.

"Peter collapsed," Bruce explained. "We don't know why. He just... passed out."

"Maybe he's sleep deprived?" Natasha suggested. "Or dehydrated?"

Bruce shook his head. "I don't think so. He's not exhibiting any of the symptoms of sleep deprivation or dehydration."

Tony stared at his son's unconscious form, unable to say anything. What was happening to Peter? Was this somehow his fault? Maybe if Tony had listened to Steve and they had taken the time to ask Peter about his nightmares, somehow this wouldn't have happened?

Steve put an arm around his husband's shoulders and squeezed them in the hopes of offering some form of comfort. "It'll be okay, Tony," Steve whispered. "He's okay."

"He's unconscious, Steve." Tony looked at his husband, his eyes wide with fear. "Pretty damn far from okay if you ask me."

The soldier looked down, trying not to let Tony's words sting. Steve knew that it was just Tony's way of coping. He didn't mean it. He just sighed and held Tony closer to him. Steve glanced down at Peter, he looked... eerily peaceful.

That peace, however, didn't last for long.

Suddenly, Peter began to cry out in either pain or terror. No one could tell which, but it didn't matter which. Tony's heart began to race faster and faster as he dropped to his knees next to his son.

"No, no, stop it!" Peter yelled. "Don't hurt him, don't hurt— BEN!" And then Peter was crying. The tears ran down his cheeks.

Steve's heart couldn't take it. His hand flew over his mouth as he watched his son toss and turn, crying out in his sleep. "Bruce, what the hell is going on?" He looked at the doctor.

"I don't... he's having a nightmare?" Bruce guessed. "The collapsing? I have no idea why that happened. But it looks like Peter is dreaming."

"Maybe you should run some tests—" Natasha began, but was abruptly cut off by a huge clap of thunder and flash of lightening. Suddenly, Thor came barging into the room.

"Friends! I am in need of your assistance!" He exclaimed loudly.

"Kinda in the middle of something here, Thor," Clint replied.

The god of thunder tilted his head and furrowed his eyebrows. "What is wrong?" He asked. He glanced over and saw Peter laying on the couch. "What is wrong with the Man of Spiders?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Steve sighed. "He just... collapsed. Now he's having a nightmare or something."

Thor's eyes widened and he rushed to Peter's side and began to examine him. The others each glanced at each other with raised eyebrows. "Uh... Thor? Buddy? Whatcha doin'?" Clint asked.

"I am afraid I am partially at fault for the Man of Spiders' sudden collapse," Thor admitted, bowing his head with a sigh.

Tony's head snapped up and he glared at Thor. "What the hell are you talking about?" He just about growled.

Thor raised a hand at Tony. "It is not how it sounds, my friend! Please, allow me to explain." Steve placed a hand on his husband's shoulder and nodded. Tony huffed, but gestured for Thor to continue. Thor smiled. "Very good! Well, on Asgard, there is a dungeon where all of our most dangerous foes are locked away.

"In this dungeon, there was kept what we refer to as a Mare. The Mare, to be exact," Thor said.

"The... Mare?" Natasha asked. "What's 'The Mare'?"

"Ah! The Mare is an evil spirit," Thor explained. "She rides on the chests' of those who sleep and bring on night terrors."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Bruce held up a hand. "Are you telling us that this... Mare thing... did this to Peter?"

Thor nodded in response. "She escaped from our prison, and," he sighed, "I am afraid I played a hand in her escape. Though it was not my intention for her to flee, I was unable to stop her. And now she has escaped to Midgard. I came here to ask in your assistance in recapturing her, but it seems as though I have found her."

Tony suddenly looked up, his eyes wide. "Wait, are you saying..." He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to comprehend everything that had just been explained to him. "Are you saying that this Mare thing is... in our son's head, or something?"

"Yes, unfortunately." Thor sighed in response.

Steve seemed to perk up. "Well, if you know she's in Peter's head, then can't we just summon her out or something?" He asked. "Then Peter will wake up and you'll have your prisoner back."

"That is... not how it works, unfortunately," Thor replied. "None of us can force the Mare out of young Peter's head, only he himself can accomplish that task."

Clint shrugged. "So he just does that. Simple, yeah?" He asked.

"No, it is not that simple, my friend," Thor replied. "Peter is in a comatose state, he is trapped inside of his own head. Whatever he is seeing, he believes it to be reality. He will not be able to break free of her hold unless he realizes that what he is seeing isn't real."

Tony looked over at Peter. His son's cries had subsided for the time being, but he knew it was only a matter of time before they started again. Tony wouldn't be able to handle the screams when they began again.

He looked at Thor. "Then we need to somehow let Peter know it's not real," He said. "Come on, Thor, there must be some kinda... magic or some shit that you can work that'll let us talk to him, right?"

Thor thought a moment before nodding. "There is, it is just..." He trailed off.

"Just...?" Steve urged.

The god of thunder looked at the captain. "I know you will not like it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in one day? Yeah, I'm really bored and this is a lot of fun to write so... expect several more updates in the next few days. 
> 
> Feedback is greatly appreciated! :D


	4. Chapter 4

"Absolutely not."

Tony was desperate to save his son from whatever horrors he was experiencing inside of his head, but when Thor returned from Asgard with Loki at his side, Tony put his foot down.

Thor held a hand up, understanding his friend's reaction. Loki hadn't exactly left their world last time on good terms with the other Avengers. "My friend, I understand the ill feelings you harbor toward my brother, but please understand, he is the only one capable of performing this task on such short notice."

"Nope!" Tony shook his head. "Hell no!"

"Tony, wait—" Steve began.

"Oh no, don't even start, Steve!" Tony rounded on the super soldier. "There is no way in hell I'm letting that psychopath walk around inside our kid's head!"

Loki smirked. "Marital problems, Stark?" He asked.

"You stay the hell out of this." Tony snapped.

"Tony," Bruce said softly. "I know Loki isn't exactly our favorite person in the world, but... if he can help Peter..." He shrugged.

The god of mischief's grin only grew wider. "Ah, I see," He said. "Poor Peter is the Mare's latest victim, is he?" Loki looked around. "And you need my help to save him. Ooh, how this must burn you all."

"Shut the fuck up, Loki," Natasha snapped. Steve opened his mouth to tell the assassin to watch her language, but closed it again. He found that he didn't mind it when she cursed at him.

Tony grabbed Steve's arm and looked at him. "You can't actually be considering this, can you?" He asked, his eyes filled with rage.

Steve sighed, placing his hands on his hips and shook his head. "I don't know, Tony, maybe?" Steve replied. "It's the best bet we have, and Thor thinks—"

"We can't trust Loki! He tried to take over the world, Steve!" Tony exclaimed. "He's the reason I had to fly that goddamned missile into a fucking wormhole!"

"This isn't ideal, but Tony." Steve grabbed his husband's hand and looked him dead in the eye. "This is Peter we're talking about."

Tony glanced down at his son again and his chest swelled. He looked so small and fragile, Tony couldn't take it anymore. He wanted his son to wake up, he wanted to be able to hold Peter in his arms and tell him that everything was going to be okay.

If Tony ever hoped to have that opportunity again, he had to trust Thor's judgement and let Loki help. He sighed. "Fine," Tony muttered. "Fine, let's do it."

"So, finally coming to your senses, are you?" Loki asked from his place next to Thor.

"Loki..." Thor said in a warning tone.

"Ah, ah, brother," Loki said. "If you wish for my help in waking the child, then you'll listen to my every word." He looked at the others. "Am I understood?"

There was a mutter of agreements from the Avengers and Loki grinned. He held his restrained wrists up and looked at Thor. "I would prefer it if I were not locked up like a wild animal, if you wouldn't mind."

Thor looked to Steve for approval, and the leader of the Avengers nodded with a small sigh. "Fine. Let him go, Thor."

The god of thunder released Loki from the magical binders and Loki smirked. "It is greatly appreciated," He said. "Now, if you don't mind, I'll get started—"

He began to walk toward Peter when Tony stopped him and glared. "If you do anything to him, and I mean anything," Tony growled. "You will regret it. Got it?"

Loki rolled his eyes. "I assure you, Stark, if I wanted to hurt your son, I would leave him like this." He pushed Tony's hand off of him. "Now, would you like for me to help him or not?"

Tony scowled but allowed Loki to pass him and sit down next to Peter. The god of mischief examined the young boy for a moment and Thor walked up beside his brother. "Are you sure you know what you are doing, Loki?" He asked.

Loki scoffed. "Have a bit of faith," He replied and looked up. The others gave him a look that read, you're kidding us, right? "Yes, fair point." Loki nodded. "Is there something I can tell him when we encounter?" Loki questioned, turning his head towards Steve and Tony. "A word or phrase that he'll recognize so he knows I'm real?"

Tony and Steve glanced first at each other and then back to Loki. "Tell him there's a blackout," Steve replied. Loki raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it.

"Very well." He returned his attention to Peter and then placed his index and middle fingers on his forehead.

"What exactly is he—?" Clint began, but was unable to finish his question. There was a bright glow from Loki's hand and the god of mischief's eyes were closed and he seemed to be asleep. Clint raised an eyebrow and waved a hand in front of Loki's face. "Is he asleep?"

"I believe so." Thor nodded. "Loki has put himself into a sort of trance, his consciousness has traveled from his body to Peter's."

"So... how long will it take?" Steve asked.

Thor shook his head. "I am unsure," He replied. "We will have to wait for them to wake up."

***

The inside of Peter Parker's head was much... darker than Loki had been expecting. He found himself in what appeared to be a dark apartment. Loki looked around, trying to determine where he was.

The god of mischief walked across what he could only assume was a living room and began to look at the framed pictures. There was one in particular that caught his eye, it was a picture of a middle aged man with a woman. She had dark hair and had her arms wrapped around the man in a hug. They were both smiling; they seemed extremely happy.

Loki wondered who exactly the two people were. But, when he glanced at a second photo, he realized. The same couple posed in this picture, but sitting between them was a young boy. His brown curls and wide smile were distinctive, and Loki immediately recognized him to be Peter Parker.

"These must be the boy's aunt and uncle," Loki murmured to himself. He recalled Thor mentioning something about the 'Man of Spiders' having grown up with his aunt and uncle. "Which means this must be his happy place, where his memories are stored."

The god of mischief turned his head and looked down the dark hallway. He couldn't see the end, but there were dozens upon dozens of doors lining the hall. _Ah, his hallway of memories,_ Loki thought. _The boy is most likely somewhere in one of his memories. If I know the Mare, he's reliving one of his worst ones._

But then, Loki paused, realizing there were in fact, two hallways. One for his memories, and other for a dream... or nightmare. Loki sighed. Of course the Mare would trap Peter down that hallway. "Well, this may take a while," Loki muttered.

***

Back in the real world, Tony was pacing the room nervously. Steve was sitting in the chair nearest to the couch, watching Peter's sleeping form. Thor was keeping an eye on Loki, he claimed that he would be able to recognize if his brother attempted anything.

Natasha needed something to occupy her hands with while they waited, so she found herself cleaning her handguns and spider bites. Though the assassin would never admit it, she was nervous. She was scared, even. Things like this weren't supposed to happen, not to Peter. He was just a kid.

"Nat, you good?" Clint asked as he sat next to his partner in crime.

"Fine."

The archer raised an eyebrow she scoffed. She glanced at him. "You know I can tell when you're lying, right?" Clint asked her.

"No you can't." Natasha replied, returning her gaze to the gun in her hand.

"Yeah, yeah I definitely can," Clint said. "First of all, when you're nervous you always have to do something with your hands, hence the gun cleaning. And second of all, when you lie your lip does this little twitchy thing."

Natasha rolled her eyes and looked at her friend. "If my lip twitched every time I lied, then I wouldn't make a very good spy, would I?" She questioned.

Clint thought about this for a moment. "Well... it really only happens when you lie to me." It was subtle, but Clint definitely caught a small smile tugging at the corners of Natasha's lips. "Knew it."

"Shut up."

But Natasha didn't tell him that he was wrong. Because he wasn't.

Natasha was worried for Peter. Natasha, the fearless S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, was scared for her nephew. Natasha glanced over at the unconscious boy, her heart hurting for the fifteen year old.

"Dammit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ew this chapter was short. I'm sorry, but heyyyyyy- Natasha feels! 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed it. Stay tuned for more :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics indicate a nightmare, in case that isn't obvious. Enjoy it! :D

_Peter didn't really know where he was. Not at first, anyway. But as he looked around, the landscape around him began to form and eventually took shape. Peter was at Midtown High School, sitting in the courtyard. He looked around, furrowing his eyebrows. When exactly had he gone to school?_

_"Peter Benjamin Parker!" His head snapped up and he saw his two (and only) best friends in the world, Michelle Jones and Ned Leeds. Michelle, who usually was calm and collected, looked absolutely furious. Ned looked mad, too._

_What exactly had Peter done?_

_"I can't fucking believe you!" Michelle yelled as she smacked his arm and it hurt._

_"Ow!" Peter rubbed his arm. "MJ, what the hell?" He asked._

_"I thought we were your friends, Peter!" Michelle snapped. "I thought you trusted us! I thought we could trust you!"_

_Peter's eyes widened. Wait, had Michelle discovered that he was Spider-Man? Oh, God... how had she found out?! Had Ned told her? Why would he have done that? "Ned, did you tell her—?"_

_"I didn't say shit, Peter!" Ned replied angrily. Peter was taken off guard. Why was Ned so angry with him? "I can't believe you didn't tell us! What, are we just your cover story? Is that what we are?" He demanded._

_"W-what?" Peter asked. "N-no! Why would you think—?"_

_"How many times have you just told your aunt you were with one of us?" Michelle asked. "How many times have Ned and I been nothing more than an excuse for you to run off and try to get yourself fucking killed?!"_

_Peter had no idea how to respond. What were they even talking about? How had Michelle even found out that he was Spider-Man? And why was Ned so angry? "B-but Ned, when you first found out, you were super excited about it!" Peter exclaimed._

_"Don't try to change the fucking subject!" Michelle growled. Peter shrank back on the bench he sat on. He had always been a bit afraid of MJ, but right now she was downright terrifying. She glared at him, shaking her head. "I thought we were your friends, Peter. Apparently not. Come on, Ned."_

_And with those words, Peter's two only friends in the entire world began to walk away. "W-wait! MJ! Ned!" Peter called, but they ignored him. He leapt to his feet and tried to run after them, but the faster he ran, the further away they got. "No, guys, wait! Come back, please! I-I'm sorry!" He cried. "MJ! NED!"_

***

Peter began to toss and turn on the couch, murmuring something inaudible. Tony noticed first and knelt down next to him. "Peter, hey, it's okay, Peter..." He murmured. He knew his son probably couldn't hear him, but he had to try.

Steve noticed this and walked to his husband's side. He saw Peter tossing and turning and his heart began to ache for his son. This wasn't fair. Peter didn't deserve to be in any kind of pain; he was a good kid. The best kid, actually.

Suddenly, Peter began to cry out in his sleep. "NO, WAIT!" He yelled. "MJ, NED! COME BACK!" Steve and Tony shared a look. Why was he crying out for his friends? What exactly was Peter seeing?

"My friends, we must restrain young Peter!" Thor exclaimed. "If the physical bond between Loki and Peter is broken, Loki will wake up without Peter!"

So, the three of them held the thrashing Peter down against the couch. Peter's cries were unbearable for Tony. He wanted to leave the room and cover his ears to block his son's screams out. But he had to help him.

Clint, Natasha, and Bruce had rushed into the living room upon hearing Peter's cries and looked distressed when they saw what was happening. Thor only told them to stay back, and that he, Steve, and Tony could handle this.

"What's going on?" Bruce asked.

"He is experiencing a night terror," Thor explained.

Finally, Peter's thrashing ceased and he was once again quiet. Thor, Steve, and Tony released their holds on Peter and sat back up. Tony sighed, running a hand through his hair and looking at Steve. The super soldier got to his feet and left the room without a word.

Tony shook his head and followed his husband out of the room. Steve had gone into their bedroom and was sitting on the edge of their bed with his head in his hands. Tony took a breath and sat down next to Steve.

"Rough couple of hours, huh?" Tony asked.

Steve only sniffed and nodded. That's when Tony realized... Steve was... crying? Steve never cried. "Whoa, Steve." Tony immediately grabbed his husband's hand. "Hey, don't cry, Steve..."

Steve looked up at Tony with red eyes. "S-sorry," He wiped his eyes and Tony shook his head.

"Don't apologize, Steve," He said. "Seriously. You don't need to."

"I-I just... Peter..." Steve trailed off. "I wish we could do something. I hate just sitting here. I feel... useless."

Tony grabbed Steve by the shoulders and looked him dead in the eyes. "Steve," He said, his voice serious. "You aren't useless. Oh my God, never, ever say that. You're the furthest thing from useless." Tony sighed and then touched his forehead against Steve's.

"Tony..." Steve trailed off.

"Steve," Tony replied. "God, this all sucks. The entire situation sucks. But none of it is your fault, okay? And you're not useless. There just isn't anything we can do right now, and as much as that sucks... we have to let Loki do whatever it is he's gonna do."

Steve chuckled lightly and kissed Tony lightly. "You're the best," He said.

Tony shrugged and grinned a bit. "Yeah, I know." Steve rolled his eyes but kissed Tony again. "He's going to be fine, Cap," Tony said.

"You should really take your own advice more often, y'know," Steve told him.

"Nah, I'll just let you comfort me when I screw up." Tony shrugged. Steve snorted and rolled his eyes again. "Aw, c'mon, I'm hilarious."

Steve nodded again. "Let's just get back down there." He got to his feet and grabbed Tony's hand. He didn't want to be without him right now. "I want to sit with Peter until he wakes up."

"Yeah, so do I," Tony agreed.

Peter was going to be just fine... he had his two dads waiting for him when he woke up. Yeah, he would be just fine. And no matter what he saw while he was trapped in his own head, no matter how many nightmares he had to live through, the Avengers, his family, would be there for him.

Always.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's kinda short, but most of my chapters are pretty short anyway. I hope you all enjoyed it!


	6. Chapter 6

This was taking entirely too long for Loki's liking. Finding Peter in his own mind was proving to be a bit more difficult than he had originally anticipated. But, he couldn't give up just yet. If he returned to reality without Peter, then he knew that Stark or the Captain would skin him alive then and there; and Loki wasn't sure Thor would even try to stop them.

He wondered what had compelled the two Avengers to adopted a child. In what realm did it occur to them that adopting a child would be a good idea? It was only a matter of time before something like this happened to Peter. Loki wondered how neither Tony nor Steve had realized that.

Perhaps if they had thought about the possible danger they would be putting a child in before adopting one, this wouldn't have happened, Loki thought.

The god of mischief walked down the darkened hallway with a cautious step. Whatever Peter was dreaming about, with The Mare walking around inside of his head, Loki knew it would be nothing pleasant.

"Loki."

He spun around on his heel and came face to face with none other than The Mare. She had dark brown hair and big, brown eyes. Loki furrowed his eyebrows and grinned a bit. "I see you've changed your appearance again," Loki said calmly. "I must say, I'm not a fan of your new look. I much more preferred you with red hair."

She smirked a bit, tossing her now dark locks over her shoulder. "Oh, Loki, didn't your father ever teach you how to properly speak to a lady?" She asked.

"I was unaware I was speaking to a lady," Loki replied.

The Mare didn't seem phased by Loki's comment. Instead, she took a step closer to the god of mischief. "I assume you're here to find young Peter Parker?" She asked him.

"If you wouldn't mind."

"Oh, but I would," The Mare replied. "I'm not through with Peter yet. I'm only just getting started."

Loki sighed and looked at her. "What exactly do you want with the son of Iron Man and Captain America?" He asked. "Are you trying to get something from them?"

"Oh, yes, of course I am." She nodded. "However, it's not something I can simply take from them. It's not an object I desire, but a feeling."

"Their fear." Loki guessed. "I should have known. Not only are you feeding off of Peter's fear, but the rest of the Avengers' fear for him."

"Now you're getting it, deary." The Mare winked at Loki.

Loki took a step closer to the Mare, glaring at her. "I will find the boy and break him free from your spell, Mare."

She merely chuckled and shook her head. "I don't think so, Loki, darling," She replied. "Oh, and do call me by my true name, would you?"

Loki raised an eyebrow at her. "Your name?" He asked her. The Mare had never had a name, she had always just been 'The Mare.' Or at least, she was one of them.

The Mare leaned close to Loki and whispered in his ear, "You can call me Mara." She took a step backwards and smiled at him. "And, I'll tell you what. If you can find Peter Parker and convince him that all of this," she gestured around her, "isn't real, I won't fight. I'll allow you both to return to reality and I'll go. But, only if you allow me to go free."

Loki considered this for a moment. He knew he was going to find and convince Peter that this wasn't real, but if he allowed the Mare—Mara—to go free, his brother would never trust him again. But did Loki truly care what his brother or the other Avengers thought of him? He decided that he didn't.

"Very well." Loki agreed. "When I find and free young Parker, you will be allowed to go free."

Mara smirked and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Good luck."

Loki blinked and the Mare vanished. He shook his head and turned back towards the hallway. "Now, to find the Spider-ling."

He began to walk the hallway, peering into each room that he passed. Loki figured that there should be a part of him that felt like he was invaded Peter's privacy by looking at his different dreams and nightmares, but he didn't think much of it.

Through one of the doors, there was a dream about Peter and his two fathers at the park. Peter appeared to be a little boy in the dream, and Loki wondered if the dream was based on a memory that Peter shared with his parents as a child.

Loki opened a second door and what he saw was rather... disturbing. _The dream, or rather the nightmare, showed Peter as Spider-Man in the heat of battle. He fought alongside the Avengers, and seemed to be doing well. But suddenly, Peter found himself buried beneath a building with no hopes of escaping._

_"S-somebody help!" Peter cried out. "I'm down here, I'm stuck! Somebody help me! Please!"_

Loki suddenly felt a pang of empathy for the young hero. It was easy to forget that he was merely a child. Loki sighed and closed the door. He needed to find Peter. If he was experiencing a nightmare worse than the one he had just seen, then he needed to hurry.

"Do not worry, young spider," Loki said. "I will find you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not very long, but Loki feels!


	7. Chapter 7

_"Hey, Dad! Hey, Pop!" Peter walked off of the elevator and tossed his backpack onto the ground. His parents were sitting on the couch mourning to themselves. Peter tilted his head. "Dad? Pop?" He asked. "Earth to Dads." He waved his hand in front of their faces._

_Suddenly, Tony glared up at Peter and scowled. "Kid, quit being such a pest, would ya?" He snapped. This took Peter by surprise, his dad had never said anything like that to him. "Steve and I are talking."_

_Peter decided not to think too much of it. Tony was probably just a bit irritated. Maybe Fury had said or done something that pissed him off earlier? He took a deep breath and grinned a bit. "Aw, c'mon, Dad," He said. "Did Fury piss you off or something? He tends to do that a lot—"_

_"Peter!" It was Steve this time. Peter jumped and took a step back, his eyes wide. "We're trying to talk about some things! Shut up!"_

_"Sorry..." Peter glanced down at his feet and scurried from the room. His parents had never yelled at him like that out of the blue. Especially not Steve. Sometimes Tony would be a bit snappy at Peter and Steve, but that was only after he'd had a few drinks. And Tony had long since quit drinking._

_The young superhero went up to his bedroom and sat on his bed, wondering what could have made his parents so angry with him. Had he done something wrong?_

_That's when the darker thoughts began to cross Peter's mind. They were mad at him because he was a failure as a superhero, as a son. They hated him now, they regretted adopting him. They didn't want him anymore. Peter buried his head in his hands and tried to shake the thoughts from his head, but it was pointless._

_"Peter! Come down here!" Peter heard Tony calling for him. He took a deep breath and left his bedroom. He cautiously walked down the stairs and walked over to the couch. His parents were standing now, each of them had their arms folded across their chest._

_"Is everything okay?" Peter asked._

_Steve's eyes were filled with fury, something Peter had only seen on two different occasions. Once when Tony had nearly gotten himself killed on a mission and had barely batted an eye at it, and once when Peter had been kidnapped as a kid. The people who had taken him had experienced the rage of Captain America._

_"No, Peter, everything is not okay!" Steve snapped. "You call yourself a superhero, but you let those people die!"_

_"W-what?" Peter asked, he genuinely had no idea what Steve was talking about. Who had he let die? He didn't even remember having gone out on patrol in the past week. No one had died... right?_

_Tony rolled his eyes. "Don't play this game. Not now, Peter. You were reckless and your decisions got three civilians killed." He growled. Peter had never felt smaller in his entire life. "Give us your suit."_

_Peter's eyes widened. "I-I'm grounded?" He asked, his voice high._

_"You're more than grounded! You've proven time and time again that you can't be trusted with the lives of your teammates, let alone the lives of the civilians!" Steve snapped._

_"W-what are you saying?" Peter asked, his eyes filling with tears. He feared he worse._

_"You're done being Spider-Man. Forever." Tony glared at him._

_That's when Peter's world fell apart. He shook his head furiously. "N-no, please, Dad!" He exclaimed. "I can do better—I'll do better! Please give me another chance!"_

_"We've given you plenty of chances, Peter!" Steve yelled. "It's been a mistake every time! We're not making that mistake again! Give us your suit, you're through being Spider-Man!"_

_Peter rounded on his parents. "You used to say that you were proud of me, that you believed in me!" He cried._

_"That was clearly a mistake!" Tony replied. "Just like it was mistake to adopt you in the first place!"_

_Peter shook his head. "You don't mean that, you don't mean that!"_

_"We should've just left you in that foster home," Steve said coldly. Peter burst into tears._

_***_

Loki found himself peering through perhaps the tenth or eleventh door. The further down the hallway he went, the darker and more graphic the nightmares became. The god of mischief almost felt bad for the boy. He seemed to be having most of these nightmares regularly.

He searched through dozens of doors until finally, he reached the last door. This was where Peter's darkest and most feared nightmare was kept. Loki took a deep breath and opened the door. He found himself in the living room of Avengers Tower.

"Hm, I wonder what this dream is about?" Loki wondered aloud. That's when he heard the crying. He almost didn't recognize the sobs, but that's when he noticed Steve and Tony glaring down at their son, Peter.

He was crying and neither Avenger was making any move to comfort him. Loki suddenly felt a flare of anger. Peter's nightmare must have been about some sort of neglect scenario.

_"You're a failure, Peter!" Steve yelled at him. "Both as Spider-Man and our son!"_

Loki sucked in a breath, suddenly reminded of his adopted father. The father who had always favored his older brother over him, the father who never believed in him. The father who always thought Thor's victories were more impressive than his own.

_"You don't mean that!" Peter sobbed. Tears ran down his cheeks and he seemed to be hyperventilating. "You don't!"_

_"We do!" Tony snapped. "God, Peter, did you ever think we actually wanted you?" He demanded. "We were forced to take you in, we never wanted a kid! We never wanted you!"_

Loki had to put a stop to this. He walked across the room and stopped next to Peter. The young boy didn't seem to notice his presence at all. He needed to make himself apart of the dream. So, Loki lifted a hand and was just about to place it on Peter's shoulder when he was suddenly thrown backwards against the wall.

Loki groaned and looked up at his attacker. "Mare," Loki said through gritted teeth. "This was not our deal."

She grinned and began to play with a strand of her hair. "Oh, Loki, you didn't actually think I would allow you to take Peter with you, did you?" Mara asked, a devilish smile dancing on her lips. "His fear and that of the other Avengers is like nothing I've ever felt before. I'm more powerful than I've ever been."

"Well, I suppose I'll just have to defeat you, then." Loki shrugged.

Mara laughed. "And how, dear Loki, do you plan on doing that?" She asked.

He grinned and held his hands up. A bright wave of green energy shot from his hands and blasted Mara backwards. She shrieked and hit the floor. "We're in a dream, lest you forget?" Loki replied.

The Mare got back to her feet and rolled her neck. "Very well, Loki," She said. "You want to play dirty? I can play dirty."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clarify, when it goes back and forth between italics and regular text later in the chapter, that's because Loki knows he's in a dream, but Peter doesn't.

Loki growled in frustration as he was thrown back and against the wall for the second time. He and the Mare had made an agreement, and she had, of course, broken it. He wasn't sure how he didn't see that one coming, but he decided that it wasn't worth worrying about at the moment. His top priority now was to defeat the Mare and free Peter from this hellish nightmare he was being put through. 

Peter was being forced to sit and listen as his parents told him that he was worthless, that they wished they had never taken him in as their own. That he was a disappointment. Loki knew better than anyone what that felt like. He refused to allow a child to sit and listen to something like that, especially because it wasn't true. 

The god of mischief cast a spell that lifted the Mare up off of the ground and he pinned her against the ceiling. She screamed and glared daggers at Loki. He only grinned, feeling satisfied with himself. 

"What is it, darling? Is something the matter?" Loki asked with mock sympathy. The Mare wriggled around in the air, trying desperately to free herself. "Oh, I'm sorry, are you uncomfortable? Allow me." He tossed her across the room and she slammed into the nearby kitchen counter with a thud. 

"Loki," Mara growled as she got to her feet. "You should not even be here! What could have possibly persuaded you to attempt to help this child?" She demanded. 

Loki shrugged. "My brother has a way with words," He replied. 

"Ah, I see." Mara smirked. "You think that by helping the Avengers they'll just forget what you did?" He didn't respond. Mara chuckled and shook her head. "Oh, my dear Loki, don't you realize? They will never forgive you, and you will never be one of them." 

He snorted. "I do not desire to be one of the Avengers," Loki said. 

"Then why are you doing this? To earn back your brother's trust? Or to perhaps earn your freedom?" Mara continued. "Those things will never be yours, Loki, not while you ally yourself with  _them._ But if you join me, if you help me, I will ensure your freedom." 

Loki only stared at her. He knew what she was trying to do, and it wouldn't work. Loki had done many terrible things in his time, and if he was being honest with himself, he didn't regret any of it. But he would not help her harm a child. However... her offer did present an opportunity. 

"Ensure my freedom, hm?" Loki questioned. 

Mara grinned, believing she had Loki on her side. She nodded and took a step closer to Loki. She snaked her arms around him and rested her head against his shoulder. "If you help me feed on their fear, I will help you escape from the other Avengers," She said. "Never again will you have to look at the walls of your cell on Asgard, never again will you be ridiculed by your people... so, what do you say, Loki?" She whispered in his ear. "Will you join me?" 

He looked at the Mare and grinned. "Very well, Mara," Loki said. "I will help you, and when we're finished, you'll return the favor."

Mara grinned and chuckled lightly. "I have a feeling you and I will make an excellent team, Loki," she said. As she turned her back to him, Loki began to chant an incantation quietly. His hands began to glow a brilliant green. "In fact, I'll do more than guarantee your freedom, I'll make you king of Asgard."

Loki froze, the spell suddenly stopped and the color disappeared from his hands. "I'm sorry?" He asked. 

Mara looked at him and smirked. "That's all you've ever wanted, isn't it?" She replied and walked closer to him. "The throne that was ripped away from you and given to your incompetent brother. The throne that is rightfully yours. I can give it to you." 

That's when Loki began to reconsider his promise. He had promised the Avengers that he would wake Peter up, and up until this point, that's what he planned to do. But, the throne...? That was what Loki had always wanted. That's why he always did what he did, he hurt his friends and family, the people he cared about. 

Was it worth it to betray the trust of his brother again, all to try and take the throne? The trust that he had worked so hard to gain back, the trust that wasn't completely there yet... would it be worth throwing that away for a shot at the throne of Asgard?

Before New York, that would have been a simple question; yes, of course it was worth it. But now, Loki wasn't so sure. Besides, hadn't Loki just been thinking about how he would never let a child go through this sort of pain? He had. 

Loki had made up his mind. 

"I'm terribly sorry to disappoint you, darling." Loki stared Mara down, his eyes flaming with fury. He began the spell again and the emerald green color returned to his hands. "But I'll have to pass."

He shot the spell at the Mare and she screeched. "You've made a big mistake, Loki!" She yelled. "You could have had everything you've ever wanted! Riches, power, the bloody throne! Your time in prison has made you soft!" 

Loki sighed and threw her once again, this time out onto the balcony of Avengers Tower. "Perhaps that's not a terrible thing," He replied. "Perhaps that's why I'm going to defeat you and you'll be going back to your cell and why I'll go free."

Mara couldn't help but laugh as she struggled to her knees. "Do you honestly believe that they'll trust you, even if you do free the Spider?" She demanded. "Don't you understand, Loki? You're nothing more than a pawn to them. They're using you!" 

He knelt down next to her and scoffed a bit. He placed a finger on her chin and forced her to look up at him. "Yes, well, perhaps after this they won't have to." He shrugged and then, with one final pulse of magic, Loki threw Mara from the balcony. She screamed. "She'll be fine," Loki shrugged as he got to his feet, brushing himself off. "It's only a dream, after all."

***

_"Quit saying that!" Peter yelled. "You-you don't mean—you can't..." He fell to his knees and buried his face in his hands, sobbing uncontrollably._

_Neither Tony nor Steve made any move to comfort their crying son. Peter had never felt more hated in his entire life. Even when Flash bullied him, he had his friends there to pick him back up. But now... now even Ned and MJ hated him._

_Peter was losing everyone close to him. First his friends, and now his fathers. The two men Peter had always looked up to growing up. They deemed him unworthy to be the a superhero, or to be their son._

_"You're a disappointment, Peter," Steve snarled viciously._

_Peter sobbed harder, unable to take it any longer. "I know, I know!" He cried. "I'm sorry, Pop, I'm so sorry!"_

"Peter." 

_The teen took no notice to the new voice at first, believing that if he did, it would only yell at him and tell him what he already knew. He was pathetic, he was worthless._

"Peter, you need to look at me."

_So, slowly, hestitantly, Peter looked up. He came face to face with the god of mischief himself, Loki. The young hero gasped and stumbled backwards. When he turned to alert his parents, they were no where to be seen. Peter furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Loki again._

_"G-get away from me, Loki!" Peter cried out. "Get off of Earth! Aren't you supposed to be in prison for leading that alien invasion?"_

Loki sighed and raised his hands in surrender. "I'm not here to hurt you, Peter," he said gently. 

_Peter scoffed. "Yeah, like I'd ever believe you!" His voice was like venom. "Just get the hell away from me! If the other Avengers catch you trying to hurt me they'll—"_

_He stopped. They wouldn't care. They had already made that painfully clear. Neither of his parents or the others would care if Loki hurt him._

"There's been a blackout." 

_Suddenly, Peter looked up at Loki, his eyes widening. "W-what did you say?" He asked._  

"I said, there's been a blackout," Loki repeated. "Peter, you need to listen to me; everything you're seeing right now? It's a nightmare. Your fathers sent me to free you from the Mare's influence. You need to realize that this isn't real. That's the only way you'll be able to wake up." 

_The young boy shook his head. That wasn't possible. "That's not true," Peter said. "There's no way that can be true."_

Loki sighed and opened his mouth to respond when he was suddenly tackled to the floor by the Mare. He grunted as he hit the floor and then rounded on her. "Oh, you just don't give up, do you?" He asked. 

Mara grinned and offered a shrug. "What can I say? When I want something, I don't give up easily," She replied. "I've been kind up until now, but you've gotten in my way too many times. I'm terribly sorry, love, but I'm afraid that I'll have to kick you out now." She held her hands up. 

Loki's eyes widened. "No, wait!" He cried, but it was too late. There was a blast of bright light and Loki gasped, his eyes flyin open. He was back in the living room, in the real world. 

"Loki!" Thor exclaimed as he woke up. "Did all go well?" 

The god of mischief scowled and looked at Thor. Steve, Tony and the other Avengers entered the room. "What's going on?" Steve asked. He saw Loki awake, but Peter was still asleep. "What happened?"

Loki sighed and began to explain what had happened. He told them about how he'd found Peter, and given them the message that there 'had been a blackout,' but the Mare had used one of her more powerful spells to kick him out of Peter's mind. "I won't be able to return," He said regretfully. Before Tony could explode in anger, Loki continued. "But there is good news."

There was a long pause. "Well?" Natasha demanded, folding her arms across her chest. "What's the good news?"

"The spell the Mare used has weakened her dramatically," Loki replied. "I told Peter that he was in a dream and all he needs to do to return to the real world is to realize it, but he didn't believe me, though I'm certain he was questioning it. The moment Peter realizes what he's seeing isn't real, the Mare will be ejected from Peter's mind and he will wake up." 

Tony sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Steve placed a reassuring hand on his husband's shoulder and offered a small smile. Tony couldn't help but give a tiny smile back. "How long do you think that will take?" Steve asked. 

Loki sighed and shrugged. "It is difficult to say," He replied. "But if I had to guess, I would say in the next twenty-four hours. Peter is strong, and he is smart. It won't take him long to realize that there's no way I could have possibly known your secret code for danger. All we have to do now is wait."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loki is just misunderstood, okay??? I love him so much omg. I can't wait to see him in Thor Ragnarok!! 
> 
> Also I'm in love with Peter Parker... in case I hadn't mentioned that before... haha.


	9. Chapter 9

There's been a blackout, that's what Loki said,  _Peter thought. How exactly did he know the code phrase he and his parents had come up with? It was impossible, there was no way he could have known that phrase, unless..._ Is Loki telling the truth? Maybe none of this is real... Maybe my parents actually sent Loki in here to free me? 

_Peter shook his head. How could this not be real? It felt so real. It all felt so real. But maybe it was true. But how could Peter be sure?_

Okay, if this is really just a nightmare, then shouldn't I be able to manipulate things?  _Peter thought. That seemed like a reasonable assumption. He decided that testing what he could make himself do would be the way to go about this. He remembered MJ telling him about lucid dreams before, and about how the dreamer could make themselves do whatever they wanted._

_"If I ever had a lucid dream, I'd make myself fly," MJ had said. "Seems like a cool power to have."_

_Peter glanced over at the glass doors that led out onto the balcony of Avengers Tower. He walked over and opened the door, stepping outside. Immediately, he noticed something odd; there was no noise. He couldn't hear any of the usual New York City traffic from down below._

Loki may have been on to something...  _Peter thought. He walked over to the edge of the balcony and looked down. He could see the street below, he could see the traffic moving, but there was still no noise. Peter shook his head, determined to focus._ If this is really a dream, I guess a nightmare would make more sense, actually, but if this isn't real, I should be able to jump off of this balcony and start flying. Right? 

_Peter took a deep breath and climbed over the railing. He looked down, his fear of heights suddenly coming into play. Peter sucked in a breath and closed his eyes. "Okay, Parker... just calm down," He said to himself. "You've got this. And I mean, hey, either way, it's a win win. Either I fly and I wake up, or I don't and I don't have to deal with my dads yelling at me anymore."_

_The young hero took one final breath before closing his eyes and letting go of the rail. Peter felt himself falling, he desperately thought about flying._ Come on, fly, fly! This has to work! FLY GODDAMMIT!

_Peter expected to hit the ground with a SPLAT! But the hit never came. Peter peeked open his eyes and gasped when he saw that he was... "FLYING!" Peter exclaimed. "Holy crap, I'm flying!"_

Loki must've been right, this all had to be a dream! None of this was real, it couldn't be. Peter could swing from webs, but there was no way he could fly! Peter looked around, but his scenery didn't change. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

This didn't make any sense. He had realized he wasn't in a dream, why wasn't he waking up? "Loki said something about a... a Mare, didn't he?" Peter wondered aloud. "Okay, maybe I have to literally kick her out... or something?" 

Peter flew back to the tower and landed on the balcony. When he looked inside, he saw his parents yelling at him, the dream version of him. Peter sighed, that was something he hoped he never had to go through again. 

"H-hey, Mare!" Peter yelled. "I know you're in here, so come on out!" 

He looked around, expecting for the Mare to appear, but it didn't. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh, come on! I know this is all fake, so get out here and then get out of my head!" 

"Ah, young Peter Parker." 

He spun around and came face to face with: "Mara?!" He exclaimed. "You're the Mare? Great!" 

She smirked, tucking a strand of now gray hair behind her ear. "What do you want, Peter?" She asked him. 

"I want you out of my head!" He exclaimed. "S-so yeah! Get out!" He said. 

Mara narrowed her eyes. "Very well, Peter Parker," She replied. "When you wake up, I will be gone from your head. Though, I wonder if you and your precious Avengers will be any match for me in the real world." 

***

Tony sat next to Peter in silence. He bounced his leg up and down impatiently. It had been nearly twelve hours since Loki had returned from inside of Peter's head and still, his son hadn't woken up. 

Steve walked over to his husband and knelt down in front of him, taking Tony's hands in his own. Tony looked at Steve with watery eyes. Steve offered a reassuring smile, which only made Tony cry more. 

"What if he doesn't wake up, Steve?" Tony asked helplessly. "W-what if Peter never wakes up?" 

Steve shook his head and held Tony's face in his hands. "We can't think like that," He said. "Peter will wake up, he'll come back to us. We just... we have to be patient." 

Tony hestiantly nodded and allowed Steve to wipe the tears from his face. "God, what did I do to deserve you?" Tony asked and laughed dryly. 

Steve smiled and shrugged. "Not sure," he replied. "But I could ask you the same thing."

Thor and Loki stood in the next room, speaking in hushed whispers. "Thank you, Loki," Thor said. "For what you have done for the spider child." 

Loki merely shrugged. "It wasn't as though I could just leave the Mare in him," He replied. When Loki noticed the grin his brother was giving him, he coughed. "N-not that I care for his well being—I just mean that we couldn't leave her on the loose, she could create problems for us later."

Thor chuckled and shook his head. "Whatever you say, brother mine," He replied. "But you cannot foool me, Loki! I know that you care for Peter's well being!" He clapped a hand on Loki's shoulder. 

The god of mischief groaned and rolled his eyes. "No, I do not," Loki replied. Thor only laughed again. Loki pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "I'm not going to argue with you about this."

"Very well," Thor replied. "But Loki, we do appreciate your help with this. Thank you, brother."

"... You're welcome."

Thor smiled and nodded. "Perhaps when we return to Asgard after all of this, we can speak with Father about your freedom?" He suggested. 

Loki's eyes widened and he looked at Thor. Was his brother seriously suggesting this? His freedom? "You're being serious?" Loki asked. 

Thor nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, of course!" Thor replied happily. "The Avengers and I both agree that you have proven yourself by helping young Peter." 

"I..." Loki was, for once, speechless. 

"PETER!" Loki and Thor looked toward the next room when they heard Steve cry out their son's name. Both gods rushed into the room to find Peter awake. He was gasping and looking around. "You're awake!" 

Steve wrapped his arms around Peter and Tony just about tackled the both of them. Peter hugged them back. "I'm fine!" He exclaimed. Peter glanced over and saw Loki. "So... you were actually there," He said. 

"Yes." Loki nodded in response. "I see you got rid of the Mare."

Peter shrugged. "Eh... more or less?" He replied. The others looked at him and Peter sighed. "When I kicked her out, she said that she would leave, but then she said, and I quote, I wonder if you and your precious Avengers will be any match for me in the real world." 

Loki's eyes widened. "Oh no..." He muttered. 

"Yeah, pretty creepy, right?" Peter responded. 

"I'm just glad you're back." Tony said, ruffling Peter's hair. 

While the others had their reunion, Loki began to feel a presence. "Brother, I hate to break up this touching moment, but I don't think we're alone anymore." He turned to Thor. 

The god of thunder furrowed his eyebrows and looked at his brother. "What do you—?" 

But Thor was unable to finish his thought when an explosion rocked the building. 


	10. Chapter 10

The ringing in his ears was unbareable. Peter sat up and propped himself up against the wall, squeezing his eyes shut. He could just barely hear someone calling his name, but he was unable to recognize the voice. Peter pried his eyes open, and that's when he saw  _her._

Mara stood in front of him, a smirk dancing on her lips as she knelt down in front of him and delicately traced his cheek with one of her fingers. Peter flinched away from her touch. Where were his parents? The other Avengers? "I did warn you, Peter," Her voice was gentle. It made the young hero feel all the more uncomfortable. 

"Get the hell away from me," Peter managed. His voice was tight, and Mara's smile only grew wider. She could tell that he was afraid. "Y-you shouldn't have come here. M-my family—"

"Your  _family_ won't be able to help you." Mara's voice was now cold. She grabbed Peter's brown curls and yanked him to his feet. He yelped in both pain and surprise. "Look at them, they're all weak. They will never be able to help you."

Peter was forced to gaze upon his family, the Avengers, who were laying on the ground, unmoving. His eyes widened and he struggled against Mara's grasp. "What did you do to them?!" He demanded, fearing the worst. 

"I did nothing to them," Mara replied cooly. "This was your own doing, Peter. You brought this pain upon them." Peter's eyes widened and he began to shake his head rapidly. "You killed them."

"Do not listen to her, Peter."

Loki stood before Mara and Peter, he seemed to be unharmed. He must have somehow protected himself from the explosion. Magic? Peter chose not to think about it too much. 

"L-Loki? Peter asked. 

"She's lying to you, Peter," Loki continued. "She's created an illusion for you to see. The Avengers are fine."

Peter shook his head. That couldn't be true, he could see them laying there on the ground. They were gone; he had killed them. Loki must've been the illusion, the thing Mara was making him see. To make him see false hope. "No, no they're dead..." He murmured. 

"They're not," Loki insisted. "They're standing here, just as you and I are. You need to see them, Peter." 

The hero squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them again. Suddenly, his parents and the other Avengers were there with Loki. His eyes widened and he sucked in a deep breath. Peter felt Mara's grip on his hair tighten and he growled a bit. 

"Peter?" His dad asked. "You there?" 

Peter hesitated, but then nodded. "Let him go, Mare," Loki's voice was cold as ice. "You must realize that this is all in vain, yes?" 

"Perhaps." She shrugged. "But can't you feel it, Loki? The fear? Not only Peter's but theirs?" Mara nodded toward the other Avengers. "If you think I am about to let that go willingly, you're wrong." 

The god of mischief scowled. Natasha took a step forward, but Loki held a hand up. "Loki, put your hand down or I'll take it off." The assassin snapped. 

"If you try to get near Peter, she will no doubt use his fear against you," Loki replied. "I would advise against that at this time."

Mara grinned. She looked at Peter; he was staring at both Tony and Steve with sad eyes. The two people Peter cared for most in the world, the two people he fears losing the most; and the two people who fear losing him the most. "Oh, how sweet," She said. "I wonder..." 

Loki could tell something was about to happen, and he knew he couldn't let Mara make her next move. So, he raised his hands and used a spell to throw both her and Peter backwards against the wall. There were protests from the Avengers, but Loki didn't have time to listen to them complain that he might have hurt Peter. 

The boy was fine; he immediately got to his feet and ran for his backpack. Clint noticed this and picked it up, tossing it over to Peter. "Thanks!" He exclaimed, rooting through the bag and finally finding what he had been looking for: his web shooters! 

"Oh, no you don't!" Mara growled as she got to her feet and began to cast a spell. Tony wasn't about to let this bitch hurt his son again, though. As she cast the spell, Tony called one of his suits and used the repulsers to blast her backwards. She screamed and then, as soon as she regained her composure, sent a spell straight at Iron Man. 

Steve sprang into action, shielding both himself and his husband from the spell. His shield was strong enough to repel the spell and send it back at Mara. She yelled again and this time sent a spell at Natasha and Clint. 

The two master assassins quickly jumped out of the way. Clint sent an arrow flying at her and it hit the wall directly behind her. Mara looked at him and scoffed. "You missed," she said. 

Clint grinned. "I never miss."

The arrow beeped and then an explosion sent Mara flying... right into Natasha's waiting fist. She punched the Mare as hard as she could and used her spider bites on her. "You really should have thought your plan through more," Natasha said. 

"Quite right, Lady Natasha!" Thor hooked from behind. He threw his hammer and it whacked Mara in the chest. She grunted in pain as she was thrown backwards. 

Mara got back to her feet and raised her hands, prepared to cast yet another spell. But that's when her hands were suddenly bound together by a sticky substance. She turned and glared at Peter, who was grinning now. "What? Cat got your tongue?" He asked her. 

Peter shot another web at Mara, this time webbing her ankles together. She growled in anger, opening her mouth, probably to try and cast another spell, but Peter wasn't done. He shot another web, covering her mouth. "Don't. Just don't, lady," He said. "I've had enough of this crap for a lifetime."

"I couldn't agree with you more, Peter," Loki agreed. He raised his arms and cast one final spell. It sent Mara flying backwards. She hit the wall with a loud thud! and she was unconscious. 

"Now," Thor spoke next, "to take her back to where she belongs. Her Asgardian prison cell." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a shorter one, but I hope you guys enjoyed it all the same. :D


	11. Epilogue

Loki never thought he'd say this, but he was honestly ready to get back to Asgard. He'd had enough of Midgard for one day, as well as enough of the Mare for an entire lifetime. He was glad that she was going to spend the rest of her days rotting in an Asgardian cell under the highest security they had to offer. Not only did going back to Asgard mean the Mare's eternal damnation, but it meant there was a chance that he, Loki, would be granted his freedom. Though he wasn't sure if the Avengers were as happy for him as his brother was. 

The Mare was bound with magical handcuffs and there was a mask over her mouth (the same kind of mask that had been used on Loki when he had been taken back to Asgard after his failed attempt to take over Midgard several years ago) to prevent her from casting any spells. Loki was standing with the Mare while Thor spoke with the other Avengers and said goodbye. Earth's Mightiest Heroes weren't being as quiet as they may have thought they were being. 

"Are you sure it's a good idea, letting Loki out of prison?" Natasha asked her friend in what she must have thought was a hushed voice, but Loki could hear every word. 

"I believe that Loki has proven himself here today," Thor replied with a firm nod. "Do you not?"

Clint shrugged, folding his arms across his chest and stealing a quick glance in Loki's direction. The god of mischief pretended not to notice. "I mean, he did try to take over the world with a huge ass alien army, killing innocent civilians in the crossfire," He replied. "Sorry if we're a bit hesitant to trust the guy."

"But he saved young Peter." Thor objected.

"And we appreciate that," Tony was speaking now. "But, Thor, buddy, it's gonna take a lot more than one good deed to make up for what he did here."

Steve nodded in agreement. "Just because he saved Peter doesn't mean he's changed. For all we know, he only did that so he can get free and attack Earth again..." He trailed off with a sigh. 

Suddenly, Thor scowled. It was a rare sight, seeing the god of thunder angry. He was usually so jovial. "Have care how you speak," He warned darkly. "Loki saved your son's life, and while he has made mistakes in the past, that is not who he is anymore. Do you not believe in second chances, my friends?" 

The other Avengers glanced around at each other. No one spoke. It was true, they had all been given second chances. Tony had once been one of the most egotistical men in the entire world, he sold his weapons to terrorist organizations (granted, he didn't know about those sales, but he was blamed regardless) but he had been given a second chance by his friends and by society, and now he was Iron Man and he had a husband and a child. 

Steve had once been a scrawny young man who wanted nothing more than to serve his country, but no one believed in him. No one except for Dr. Abraham Erkstine, who had chosen him to undergo the super soldier experiment and had given him a second chance at life.

Natasha had been a cold-hearted assassin who killed because she had to. Clint had been sent to kill her, but he had decided to go do something different and had offered her a second chance, and so Natasha had been given a new life. 

Before S.H.I.E.L.D., Clint had been in the circus. He had nothing there, and thanks to the organization, he had been able to start a new life; he had been able to start his own family and save other ones all around the world.

And then there was Bruce. Bruce had been through hell and back. He had tried to take his own life because he thought of himself as a monster, one that didn't deserve or need to live. But, then the Avengers had found him. They didn't think he was a monster, they didn't think he was an experiment gone wrong. They thought of him as only one thing: a friend. And by God if that wasn't the greatest thing that had ever happened to him.

"I think we should let Thor take Loki home so he can be freed," Bruce said, looking around the room at his friends. "Thor's right, everyone deserves a second chance." 

It was clear that the others were still having doubts. That's when Peter walked into the room. His face was slightly bruised and there were several cuts on his face from the fight, but he was fine other than that. He was  _fine._ Thanks to Loki, the fifteen year old had been given a second chance at his life. "Dads..." He trailed, looking at Tony and Steve. "Loki helped save my life... and even though he did those horrible things, they're in the past. He can't take them back, and the only way he's ever going to be able to make up for what he did is if you guys give him a second chance." 

Steve and Tony glanced at each other. Of course their son was right, he usually was. As much as they didn't want to admit it, Peter was right. Loki deserved a second chance as much as anyone did. 

The Avengers turned their heads in the direction of Loki and the Mare and then they turned back to Thor. Tony nodded, wrapping one arm around his son's shoulders. "I think Bruce and Peter are right, I guess we can't hold a grudge forever."

Steve chuckled, but nodded in agreement. 

"I appreciate your approval," Loki spoke up. "I will try my best to redeem myself for what I've done in the past. I know I may never fully gain your trust, but I hope to try." 

Peter smiled at the god of mischief, which wasn't something Loki had been expecting. "I trust you, Loki," He said. 

***

And so, Heimdall opened the Bifrost and Thor, Loki, and the Mare were teleported back to Asgard. Once she had been locked away in her cell (under heavy guard), Loki and Thor entered the throne room where their father, Odin, sat. He was a mighty man, and grand warrior and king. He ruled his people well, and had always been proud of his sons, especially Thor. 

The two brothers stood side by side, their hands placed neatly behind their backs. "Father," Thor greeted politely. 

Odin gazed upon his two sons, Thor stared right back at him, his eyes filled with determination, while Loki gazed submissively down to the floor. His father had never expressed any true interest in Loki or his accomplishments, the only person who had was Frigga, their mother. After her death, Loki had been devastated. That was when he had decided to clean up his act, for her. He only hoped that Odin would be as understanding as his brother had been.

"Loki." The god of mischief looked up at his father. "Thor has told me of your actions on Midgard. You fought, and defeated, the Mare and played a key role in her recapture, and for that I thank you." Loki's eyes were wide; his father hardly ever complimented him, let alone thanked him. It was a new experience for him.

"Thank you," He replied.

"Father." Thor took a step forward. "Did you consider my offer?"

Loki looked to his brother with furrowed eyebrows. What exactly had Thor offered their father?

"I have," Odin replied. "And, if you think it is a good idea, I will allow it."

Thor smiled widely and nodded. "I do, Father. Thank you!"

"What exactly are you two on about?" Loki asked, tired of not knowing what was going on.

"Father has agreed to allow you to leave your cell and become a citizen of Asgard again!" Thor replied jovially.

"So long as your brother maintains watch over you and monitors your actions until I see that you can be trusted fully once more," Odin added.

Loki paused a moment, his eyes wide. This was all very surprising. Thor had promised him a chance at freedom, yes, but this was far greater than he could have ever expected. He thanked both his brother and his father repeatedly.

***

Loki and Thor began to visit Midgard regularly. Loki enjoyed spending time with Thor's friends, whom he would soon learn to call his own friends. Especially the spider child, Peter. He hadn't known Loki personally during his attack on New York City, though he had been there (well, across the river in Queens). Loki was glad to have a friend on Earth, one who didn't see him as a monster, but as a rescuer and a friend.

"Sometimes I do not understand how you do not fear me, Peter," Loki said to the child one night while Peter was introducing Loki to the 'wondrous world of sci-fi action movies.' They were watching Blade Runner at the moment. "I have tried time and time again to take down the Avengers, but you do not seem to hate me."

Peter turned to him. "Why would I hate you?" He replied. "Those things happened a long time ago, and besides, you made up for it."

"I am trying to."

"I think you're a good guy, Uncle Loki."

Hearing Peter say these words, hearing him call Loki his 'uncle,' brought a warmth to his chest he hadn't felt for quite some time. And for the first time in a long time, Loki smiled.

"Thank you, Peter." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun writing this story and I hope you guys enjoyed it, too! :D


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